Do you think keeping Earth clean and green is important? In the book, I Can
Save the Earth, you will find ways to protect Earth and preserve the environment.

Let's discuss three of Earth's main natural resources: air, water, and land.
Clean air is important to the health
of the planet. Polluted air can make you
sick, kill plants, and ruin rivers and lakes. Air pollution can even change the
weather by trapping sunlight and its heat close to the ground. What can you do to
stop air pollution? Turn out the lights when you don't need them. Keep the
temperature in your home a little cooler in the winter and a little warmer in the
summer. You can even convince your family to drive the car less often.
How does this help? Electricity, heating, air conditioning and car engines are all created
or powered by burning fuels like coal or oil. Burning fuels release pollutants
that dirty our air.

Water is another of Earth's main resources. All living things on Earth need water
to survive, but clean, unpolluted water is getting harder to find. Many people
waste water or pollute it. How can you save water? Try taking shorter showers or
turning off the water while you brush your teeth. Help to keep our water clean.
Tell your family never to throw any trash into a body of water. Convince your
family and friends to use Earth-friendly cleaning products. Never pour chemicals
like paint or detergents down the sink drain or onto the ground. These chemicals
will seep into the ground and into ponds, streams, and other places where we find
our drinking water.

Land is the third main resource. It suffers the effects of pollution, too. One of
the ways we are using up this precious resource is by dumping trash on it or
burying it in the ground. The average American throws away over 20 pounds of
trash each week! Much of this trash, like plastic containers or toys, will not go
away. The trash will sit in the ground forever. How can you help to solve the
trash problem? You can buy high quality goods that will last, that you will not
have to throw away. Reuse plastic bags and containers, cans, and foam cups.
You can even convince your family to recycle everything possible, like cans and newspapers.

There are so many ways you can make a difference  at home or in your community.
This book describes many of the ways you do have power to save Earth. Try the I
Can Save the Earth Activity to learn more about
preserving the environment.